by Sharon Rondeau
(Feb. 16, 2024) — Following the release of Judge Arthur Engoron’s decision in the civil-fraud case brought against 45th President and leading 2024 Republican presidential candidate Donald J. Trump, New York Attorney General Letitia James, who brought the case, will deliver remarks at 6:00 p.m. Friday, while Trump will also address the public from his home at Mar-a-Lago.
The 92-page ruling is here.
On Wednesday Trump had posted on his TruthSocial account that the judgment would be announced Friday in accordance with a “leak” to the mainstream media.
James had asked for a penalty of $370 million.
RSBN will carry Trump’s address live here, while coverage of James’s statement has not been publicized as of 5:47 p.m. EST.
At approximately 5:40 p.m., Trump issued on TruthSocial:
“This Election Interference and tyrannical Abuse of Power by a Crooked Judge and Crooked Attorney General cannot be tolerated. My case was already won in the Appellate Division, and more than 80% of the frivolous claims were wiped out. Yet, as I suspected, and in order to hurt me and the Republican Party politically, Crooked and Corrupt Judge Arthur Engoron ignored his loss at the Appellate Division, and came up with an outrageous $355 Million Dollar fine against me. Using a statute that has never been applied like this before, the Corrupt Judge conspired with the Crooked Attorney General, Letitia James, and punished a liquid and beautiful Corporate Empire that started in New York, and has been successful all around the world…..”
A press release on James’s website reads, in part:
NEW YORK – New York Attorney General Letitia James today released the following statement after Justice Arthur F. Engoron of New York State Supreme Court ruled in her favor in her office’s civil fraud case against Donald Trump, the other individual defendants, and the Trump Organization entities, ordering the defendants to pay more than $450 million in total, which represents $363.8 million in disgorgement and pre-judgment interest:
“Today, justice has been served. This is a tremendous victory for this state, this nation, and for everyone who believes that we all must play by the same rules — even former presidents.
“For years, Donald Trump engaged in massive fraud to falsely inflate his net worth and unjustly enrich himself, his family, and his organization. While he may have authored the ‘Art of the Deal,’ our case revealed that his business was based on the art of the steal.
“When powerful people cheat to get better loans, it comes at the expense of honest and hardworking people. Everyday Americans cannot lie to a bank to get a mortgage to buy a home, and if they did, our government would throw the book at them. There simply cannot be different rules for different people.
“Now, Donald Trump is finally facing accountability for his lying, cheating, and staggering fraud. Because no matter how big, rich, or powerful you think you are, no one is above the law.”
The decision issued today by Justice Arthur F. Engoron grants the following relief:
- Donald Trump and the other defendants are ordered to pay more than $450 million in total, which represents $363.8 million in disgorgement and pre-judgment interest;
- Donald Trump, Allen Weisselberg, and Jeffrey McConney are each banned from serving as an officer or director of any New York company for three years;
- Allen Weisselberg and Jeffrey McConney are additionally banned from serving in a financial management role in any New York company for life;
- Donald Trump, Jr. and Eric Trump are banned from serving as an officer or director of any New York company for two years;
- Donald Trump and his companies are banned from applying for loans from any New York bank or financial institution for three years;
- A new, Independent Director of Compliance role will be created at the Trump Organization to ensure the company establishes internal protocols and meets financial reporting obligations; and
- The current independent, external monitor will continue to oversee the company’s financial dealings and ensure this fraud cannot continue.
Update, 5:59 p.m.: Letitia James is addressing the public, announcing the verdict, which includes not only severe financial penalties, but also punitive impositions on the Trump Organization’s business operations.
At 6:01, James criticized Trump’s “ego” as well as the alleged fraud. “There cannot be rules for different people in this country,” she said, while reciting some of the passages from the press release.
According to Fox News at 6:05 p.m., Trump will soon speak.
At 6:06, Fox began broadcasting Trump’s remarks made at a black iron gate at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, FL. Of Engoron, Trump said, “He’s just a corrupt person.”
As he has said before, he recounted that Engoron “ruled against me” prior to any hearings taking place.
“There were no victims…and by the way, I paid approximately $300 million in taxes as the migrants come in…and they want me out. These are radical left Democrats; they’re lunatics…we’ll appeal; we’ll be successful…”
“These are corrupt people, and they’re using this as weaponization…,” he said, adding that “we’re heading into a third world war” with Biden in the White House.
He revisited testimony given by bankers with whom the Trump Organization had conducted business stating they were not defrauded and were very pleased with the transactions which took place.
“This is Russia, this is China, this is what you’ve been reading about all your lives…,” he said, just before concluding his remarks and going inside the gated door in front of which he had stood.